24.04.2014 - 10:20
The Victoria Theater filled up yesterday for the introduction of “Societat Civil Catalana”, a group born with the intention of mobilizing Catalans who are against sovereignty, the referendum, and the independence process. Although it introduced itself without political affiliations, yesterday there were leaders present from the PP, Ciutadans, PSC, and Vox, who aligned themselves with SCC’s founding principles which demand “an open Catalonia within a Spain that belongs to everyone”. Josep Ramon Bosch, one of the promoters, explained to ACN that the SCC is preparing a large anti-independence demonstration in Tarragona on September 11th, a festive event for Sant Joan (June 24) and fifteen more events throughout the year and into 2015.
Societat Civil Catalana called non-sovereigntist Catalans to mobilize “without fear”, to come out on the street against independence, and to proudly display that there are many citizens who “are proud of feeling both Catalan and Spanish”. Attendance surpassed expectations and the theater’s 1200 seats were not enough for those who came.
Before the event, Josep Ramon Bosch said that the SCC intends to “give visibility to the majority of Catalans who are not in favor of a process of rupture with Spain nor with Catalonia, and who want to avoid it.” “We want to mobilize the people, have them come out on the streets, in a festive fashion, with an ear-to-ear smile, in Catalan,” he declared.
To that end, he laid out the group’s plans which include preparing “fifteen public events that are anticipated in our road map through this year and into 2015.” The two principal events for the next few months are a festival for Sant Joan (June 24) and a large demonstration in Tarragona on September 11th.
In addition, the group plans to put on public events in the rest of the state. “We want to explain to Catalans that independence is not a good idea for us, but we also want to explain to the rest of the Spanish people that we have a language which must be respected and that we have a culture within the nation that is Spain,” Bosch pointed out.
The cross-party political flavor of the group, the lack of identification with any party initials in particular, and its self-definition as a “civil society” is reminiscent of the beginnings of the Catalan National Assembly (ANC), but with a markedly anti-independence feeling. Its initiators, however, reject the idea of being the counterpoint to the group led by Carme Forcadell. “From a pro-independence point of view, it might be perceived that way, but we don’t have that perception. The ANC has a road map which includes rupture and we are in favor of legality. It’s a bit different. We don’t want, at any rate, to get into debates and controversy with the ANC,” explained Bosch.
Videos, poems, and an urge to get involved
The inauguration of the group began by welcoming the attendees and promoters of the group. Next, two members read poems with references to unity and agreement. Then they showed a video with testimonials from Catalan citizens speaking in Catalan and Spanish, saying how they feel Catalan and Spanish, that independence doesn’t make any sense and that it is a big mistake, and making declarations in favor of mobilizing in order to increase visibility for those who don’t want independence. Attendees energetically applauded the video.
The video finished with the slogan: “For an open Catalonia in a Spain that belongs to everyone. Mobilize yourself, move with us”. At that point, José Rosinyol, the provisional president of the Board, began to speak. Rosinyol explained that more than 8000 people have signed the SCC’s manifesto and ensured that “it makes me proud to see how people are mobilizing for a society that includes everyone”. “No one can try to make us feel like foreigners in our own land,” he said, adding that the group “will never get into politics, we’ll never tell parties what they have to do or say: but the group will be very vigilant so that no one instrumentalizes democracy and its institutions, which belong to everyone.”
Afterward, three members read the SCC’s foundational manifesto in Catalan, Spanish, and Aranese. The applause was repeated and the readings ended with shouts in Spanish of “They can’t fool us, Catalonia is Spain”, the same shouts that can be heard in other events, protests and even violent anti-independence acts.
Joaquim Coll, José Domingo, and Josep Ramon Bosch, the three principal promoters of the group, were next to speak, calling for “a mobilization to show how numerous those of us are who are in favor of avoiding illegality, defeat, and rage” and that “we are not willing to renounce our participation in the economic, political, cultural, and even sporting life of Spain”. “We will continue to call the rest of the Spanish people our compatriots,” said Domingo. Coll, for his part, was roundly applauded when he said that “we want the referendum to not be necessary, because it’s stupid to vote for whether or not to throw yourself out the window.”
PPC, C’s, PSC, UPyD and VOX
Although the anti-sovereignty parties had agreed not to send any of their big guns to the event, Societat Civil Catalana’s inaugural event was attended by many familiar faces, second line leaders, and members of PP in Catalonia, PSC, C’s, Vox, and UPyD. People like Joan Rangel (PSC), Carmen de Rivera, Matías Alonso and Carina Mejías (C’s), Andrea Levy and Maria Ángeles Esteller (PPC), Ramón de Veciana (UPyD), and Santiago Abascal (Vox) sat in the front rows of the theater.
